Run
by chosenpotter
Summary: "they're all after us! we're wanted, don't you see?" they're at large, and they can't seem to catch a break. tempers are running high, hearts are being broken, and it seems they can't do anything productive. and so they r u n.
1. prologue

The world seemed quiet. Surreal, almost. There was a soft breeze that blew over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, and students were saying their last goodbyes as they quickly packed for the train ride home tomorrow. Most were outside, enjoying the lovely weather and trying to make the most of their last day. But yet, there was a mournful mood in the air.

The world was sorrowful for the loss of Albus Dumbledore. He had been the best headmaster that anyone had ever seen. He was kind, and brave. Even those who didn't know him well (not many, at that) missed him dearly. The Wizarding World was at a loss of words to say, and numb from shock. The funeral had been that morning, and had been such a lovely procession. There had been many tears shed. But he was gone now, and there wasn't a thing they could do about it. Dumbledore probably wouldn't have wanted them to be sad and mope about, so they didn't do so.

But far away, up in the reaches of the Astronomy Tower, a boy tried to hide himself away from the world. His arms were resting on the railing as he looked over the grounds of Hogwarts, his first real home. He'd miss it here, he realized. But there was no coming back. He had a job to do, and he was going to do it. He wasn't even much of a boy anymore, really. He had seen so much, and had been through so much, that he couldn't be considered a kid anymore. He reached up a finger to gently nudge his round glasses up his nose, from where they kept sliding down.

"Harry." a soft voice said from behind him, the tone cautious but gentle.

Harry Potter turned his head to look over his shoulder, his eyes widening in slight surprise as he saw his two best friends, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, standing there. Hermione stood a little in front of Ron, her arm slightly outstretched as if she were going to place it onto Harry's shoulder. Harry firmly pressed his lips together, not wanting to talk. He didn't want anyone around at the moment, not even his friends. He turned back to the view, focusing on a few students in the courtyard below, and then back on the treetops.

There was a slight shuffling, and Harry was joined by Hermione. She gently reached her hand down, unfurling Harry's clenched fist and taking out the locket held within it. She examined it in the sunlight, then toyed with it a bit as she gazed out upon the horizon.

"Do you think he would've done it?" she quietly asked. "Draco?"

Harry thought on that a moment. Would Draco have really killed Dumbledore, if Snape didn't step in? Was he ever truly brave enough?

"No." he finally answered. "He was lowering his wand. In the end, it was Snape. It was always Snape. And I did nothing..."

Hermione frowned over at him, shaking her head. Harry seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. And what was worse, was that he was always constantly blaming himself for every single little bad thing that happened. Hermione constantly tried to talk sense into him. But, she saw that it was useless at this point. Why would he listen now, when he had never done so in the past? She looked back down at the locket in her hands.

"Strange. Thinking this is a piece of Voldemort's soul..."

"Yeah, strange. Only... it's not. It's a fake." Harry told her, taking in her shocked expression before nodding. "Go on. Open it."

Hermione gently pried open the locket, removing the small square piece of parchment and unfolding it, beginning to read it aloud.

"'To the Dark Lord. I know I will be dead long before you read thisbut I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux andintend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more. R.A.B.'" Hermione looked up at Harry after she finished, looking confused. "R.A.B?"

"Dunno. But whoever they are, they have the real Horcrux. Which means, it was a waste. All of it." Harry replied, heaving a sigh.

Hermione studied Harry's troubled expression, her mind whirring. Then she glanced behind her, over at Ron. Ron sat out of earshot, near the stairs to the Astronomy Tower.

"Ron's okay with it, you know. You and Ginny. But if I were you, when he's around, I'd keep the snogging to a minimum." she said, smiling faintly.

Hermione was only trying to cheer Harry up at bit. Harry merely nodded again and looked away, his attention presumably somewhere else at the moment. They stood in silence for a few moments.

"I'm not coming back, Hermione." Harry finally said, breaking the silence.

Hermione nodded, like she had expected it. "We reckoned. Ron and I, I mean."

"I have to finish what Dumbledore started. I'm not sure where that will lead me...but I'll let you and Ron know where I am...when I can."

"I've always admired your courage, Harry, but sometimes... you're really thick."

Harry was a bit surprised to hear that. He turned his head away from the sky to peer at Hermione, crossing his arms.

"You don't honestly think you can find all those Horcruxes by yourself, do you?" she asked, then leaned in to whisper, "You need us, Harry."

Hermione smiled at him, cocking her head to the side and trying to coax a small smile out of him. Harry gave in and smiled back at her, but it was only briefly before his expression faded back to blank again.

"Yeah. I do. Do me a favor, though." he said. "When I'm around, try to keep the snogging to a minimum."

Hermione reddened, glancing over to Ron. "Like that's going to happen. Besides, he's barking."

"Funny, he says the same about you."

"Yes, but I'm exceptionally perceptive."

"You're brilliant. You both are." Harry's posture relaxed, which Hermione was glad to see.

Harry then gazed off into the distance again, and Hermione followed her gaze. She was losing herself in the view. She had spent so much of her time here, at Hogwarts. She began to make a mental scrapbook, trying to remember all of the good times she had once had.

"Do you think...that we'll ever come back?" she timidly asked.

Harry looked over to see Hermione's eyes watering, as she tried to fight the onslaught of emotions. Harry struggled to fight back his own as well, taking a deep breath. He reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then released it.

"I don't know. But...I've never realized how beautiful this place is." he said quietly, his eyes roaming the grounds one last time.

There was a sudden mournful cry, and the three of them turned their eyes to the sky. Fawkes flew high above in the clouds, singing one last song to the world. Ron rose to his feet, joining Harry and Hermione at the railing. They all watched Fawkes as he flew away into the horizon. Even after that, they kept their gazes on the sky. They all knew that this would be their last time at Hogwarts, even though they hoped that it wasn't true. For now, they would have this one last moment of peace.

Nobody said a word.


	2. obliviate

_Muggle Family Murderered, Violence Spreads!_ , the current Daily Prophet headline blared. Hermione Granger stared hard down at the newspaper, the sides crinkling slightly as her grip tightened around it. This only confirmed her decision to be for the best. She had to do this, and there was no going back. She took a shuddering breath, her eyes fluttering shut for a moment.

Was she actually doing this? It seemed so crazy, so wild. But it was necessary. She couldn't let them get involved in this, and possibly get themselves killed. She couldn't lose her parents.

"Hermione!" the girl heard her mother call from downstairs. "Tea's ready, darling."

"Coming, Mum!" Hermione called back, trying not to let her voice crack.

She sniffled and wiped the back of her hand across her face, blinking back tears. This was it. This was the final time she'd see this room, and this house. The last time she'd ever see her parents. But this was too important not to do. Hermione took one last look around her room, then tucked the Daily Prophet into her pocket and grabbed her beaded handbag off of her bed.

Hermione crept down the stairs, the last step creaking as it always did. She chuckled, knowing how much she hated that blasted step, and now was the last time she'd ever step on it. As a young girl, she'd want to go to the downstairs library so she could read when she couldn't sleep. She was always caught out by her parents, as the step gave her away.

"Looks like I won't have to worry about that anymore." she quietly said to herself.

Hermione paused in the doorway of the living room. Her parents were sat on the couch and watching the telly, their backs turned to her as they softly murmured to each other about the evening news. Three steaming cups of tea sat on the table, and Hermione's heart sunk as she saw her favorite mug, the pink one with a chip near the handle. She took a deep breath, then removed her wand from her pocket.

" _Obliviate._ " Hermione whispered, twisting her wand slightly as the tip softly glowed.

She watched as she slowly disappeared from all of the pictures on the mantel, and she could see her parents slumping slightly in their seats. She choked back tears, her heart breaking as she watched the scene. But this was all for the best.

"Goodbye."

Hermione quickly walked out of the room, buttoning up her coat as she headed outside. She stored her wand away, resisting the temptation to look back at her home once more. She looked both ways before crossing into the street, walking down the roadway towards her destination.

Everything was different now.

A slight breeze blew through the English countryside. Ron Weasley hugged his arms to himself, feeling a bit chilly in his worn flannel shirt. But he needed time away from the noisy insides of The Burrow, and outside was the only place to go. He needed to clear his head, so he decided to come out here to gaze at the stars.

He glanced behind him, where the kitchen door to the Burrow was open. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny were bustling around the kitchen, trying to get dinner ready for everyone. Ron gazed at his mother and sister with affection he had never given before, committing them to memory. At least he'd have this moment to remember during those long nights he was certain he'd be having.

His gaze shifted to the adjacent shed behind him, the door slightly ajar. He slowly walked towards the shed, slipping inside. Mr. Weasley was working at the table at the middle, fiddling with a radio. There were a dozen others lined up in front of him, all in various states of repair.

"What are those?" Ron quietly asked him.

"Close the door." Mr. Weasley told him, and Ron did so.

Ron stepped forward and up to the workbench. Mr. Weasley flicked on the switch to the radio, and it spat out static before a clearish voice came through.

"... comes to us this evening from the north of England, where a wizard family by the name of Westinburgh were found dead intheir cellar. While not a member of the Order, Mr. Westinburgh and his wife had, on numerous occasions, provided shelter for it's members..."

Mr. Weasley switched it off again. "These are for the Order. So many are on the run now, it helps them to stay connected with the rest of us. Know they're not alone..."

Ron noticed that his father looked tired. He sighed, putting a hand on Mr. Weasley's shoulder.

"Come on. Mum's got dinner ready." he told him.

Mr. Weasley nodded and got up, heading out of the small shed. Ron, meanwhile, picked up the radio his father had been working on, examining it.

"Ron! Dinner's ready!" he heard his mother call from inside the Burrow.

Ron put the radio down and walked back out into the night. He took a last look around, then headed for the door.

Everything was different now.


	3. saying farewell

The bloodred sky of dusk hung over Privet Drive. Up on the upper floor of one of the houses, Number Four to be exact, a pale hand nudged the curtains aside. The face of an equally pale boy appeared in the window, his green eyes glimmering as he watched the scene happening below, in the driveway.

"Come now, Dudley! Hurry up!" a walrus-like man, known by Uncle Vernon to the boy, snapped at his son.

Dudley Dursley, the boy's cousin, lugged a large trunk towards the car. He looked to be struggling a bit. While not as tubby as his father was, Dudley still was very. He finally got his luggage near enough to the trunk of the car that he could heave it in. The boy in the window shook his head, pulling away and letting the curtain fall shut.

Harry Potter gazed around his room for what he knew would be the last time. The room looked like a whirlwind had gone through it, with empty drawers hanging out of their cabinets, and cabinet doors hanging wide open. It was empty, except for the last few cluttered things laying across Harry's bed, and the worn rucksack sitting next to the pile. Harry walked over to the bed, so he could go through the pile and finish his packing.

First was the shard of mirror. It had once been whole, but now it was only this and the glass dust that remained. Harry looked down at his bandaged finger. He had cut himself on the shard just that morning, when he had been emptying out his school trunk. Sirius had given this mirror to him, and now it was just a reminder of what Harry should've done and how he had been so stupid to rush in like that. Sirius was dead because of him. But every once in awhile, when Harry looked into the mirror shard, he saw a bright blue eye, not unlike the ones of Albus Dumbledore. Harry sighed and put the mirror into the rucksack. He just couldn't leave it here.

Next was the locket, the fake locket that Harry and Dumbledore had worked so hard to get. When Harry had first learned that the locket was fake, he had been so angry and wanted to pitch the thing over the side of the Astronomy Tower. But now it was the only reminder of that night. Perhaps Dumbledore wouldn't have died, he told himself. But Snape would have killed him regardless, so what did it matter? Harry tucked the locket into the front pocket of his bag.

Next came the Daily Prophet clipping that Harry had read so many times that he could recite the entire thing in his sleep. A man, named Elphias Doge, had written an article about Dumbledore. Dumbledore Remembered, it was called. Elphias' picture smiled up at Harry as he picked up the clipping from the bed. Harry gave a wan smile back at the image, then folded it and put it in with everything else.

Finally, there was the little black notebook. Harry absentmindedly flipped through the pages. All of them were filled with his untidy scrawl and little illustrations. It looked like the work of a madman, but he was only trying to get all of his knowledge of Horcruxes into one place. Almost all of the pages had R.A.B scratched into them in block letters. Harry was still at a loss about what those three letters meant, but he had been trying his hardest to figure it out. He sighed and put that away into the rucksack too.

Harry lifted the rucksack onto his shoulders, taking one last look around the room. He knew he shouldn't be rude, but he wouldn't really miss this place at all. It held so many bittersweet memories for him, and many of those he'd like to forget. He went over to Hedwig's cage, picking it up. He put his finger through the metal bars, letting Hedwig gently nuzzle his finger as he looked back outside.

"Time for the teary farewell." he muttered to his owl, then headed downstairs.

Petunia Dursley stood in the entrance of the kitchen, gazing around the empty house. This was her home, and it felt so strange to be leaving it. All because of the boy she'd been forced to take in and care for. Harry came down the stairs at that very moment, bag on his back and cage in his hand. He saw her and came to a stop.

"I've lived in this house twenty years." Petunia said absentmindedly. "And now, in a single night, I'm expected to leave."

"They'll torture you. Even Dudley. If they think you know where I'm going, they'll stop at noth-" Harry started to say, but she cut him off.

"You think I don't know that? You think I don't know what they're capable of?" she said suddenly, her eyes piercing Harry's. "You didn't just lose a mother that night in Godric's Hollow, you know. I lost a sister."

Harry stared at her, a bit taken aback.

"Do...you have any?" he quietly asked. "Magic?"

"What a cruel thing to ask." Petunia icily replied, walking past him and out the front door.

Harry followed her, leaving Hedwig's cage by the stairs as he walked outside. The sun was starting to set out on the horizon, and he watched it for a moment before turning his attention to the scene before him. Vernon tested the straps on top of the car that were holding the luggage, then squinted awkwardly over at Harry.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye then, boy." he said gruffly.

Harry nodded from his place by the doorstep, rocking back and forth on the heels of his feet. Petunia sat in the passenger seat, a ghost behind the windshield. Suddenly, Harry heard a voice that he never thought would say the words that came out of his mouth.

"I don't understand. Isn't he coming with us?" Dudley asked.

"Who?" Vernon asked his son.

"Harry."

"Absolutely not."

Dudley looked over at Harry. "Why?"

Vernon seemed to sputter for a moment. "Well, because- he doesn't want to, do you, boy?"

"Absolutely not." Harry said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Besides, I'm just a waste of space, aren't I, Vernon?"

Vernon gave Harry a hard look, then climbed inside of the car.

"Come on, Dudley. We're off." he said, starting up the car.

Dudley hesitated, then crossed the lawn and outstretched his hand.

"I don't think you're a waste of space." he told Harry.

"Well...thanks." Harry gripped Dudley's hand tightly. "See you, Big D."

Dudley nodded and got into the car. The Dursleys then backed down the driveway, driving off down the street. Harry found he was glad to see them go. There went the last remnants of his horrible childhood, gone off into the sunset just like some cheesy movie.

"Good riddance." Harry said bitterly, then turned and walked back into the house, letting the door swing shut behind him.

Now all he had to do was wait.


End file.
